Animal shelter and Humane Society are doing great things

Editor’s note: The Nevada Appeal presented the Carson City Board of Supervisors, the mayor and city manager an opportunity for a column. Mayor Robert Crowell will appear next Sunday.

Let’s talk about the Carson City Animal Shelter. Many conversations about the construction of a new animal shelter in our city have taken place and much has been written in the Nevada Appeal about that issue.

It now belongs to the past, and the future, thanks to the generosity of the citizens of Carson City, CASI and Nevada Humane Society, means we are on our way to a new shelter of which we can all be proud. I’m sure this shelter is going to meet the needs of our community far into the future.

However, I would like to talk about the current shelter and the great things that are happening on Butti Way. In the almost one year time since Carson City partnered with the Nevada Humane Society, the number of the live save rate has risen to 97 percent.

This statistic reflects one simple thing — 97 percent of dogs and cats that enter NHS Carson City Animal Services leave alive. This incredible save rate began the month the partnership began and has been carried through the busy summer months, and continues to this day. This reality is not only a huge milestone for animal welfare in Carson City but is, in fact, a reflection of our community’s values and what our great city deserves. The save rate also places Carson City at the forefront of effective pet management and animal stewardship at the national level. We are one of the best communities for a pet to live in. That’s pretty amazing.

The incredible lifesaving is far from the only tremendous return Carson City is getting as a result of this collaboration. Last month, 80 percent of the dogs found running at large were returned in the field, directly from the officer’s trucks back into their homes. That means, out of ten, only two dogs ever had to enter the shelter. The rest were taken immediately back home, without a fee. This is a result of animals having licenses, collars and tags, microchips, coupled with good old-fashioned detective work by NHS Carson City Animal Services staff. I’m so proud of this level of service and commitment — another example of the real-life impact of this collaborative partnership.

Yet, this is not the end of the good things unfolding at NHS Carson City. NHS has held a series of free micro-chipping clinics for the residents of Carson City to ensure if their pet should manage to become lost, we can bring them right back home.

The animal resource center helps hundreds of Carson City residents every month with animal-related issues and concerns. Dozens of feral cats are altered every week as a result of humane organizations and volunteers taking cats to NHS’ and Community Cats’ spay and neuter program. Several Carson City residents are active participants in NHS’ GI Dogs program in which veterans living with Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder (PTSD) and/or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) are matched with rescue dogs and work with the animals to become certified service animals. The PUPs program at the prison continues to go strong, helping dogs with special needs become extraordinary pets for the people of Carson City. The list doesn’t end here — so much is happening for pets in Carson City.

The data is coming in and the numbers look good. Complaints are down, service is up, and we’re saving as many lives as possible. These are the animal services the people of Carson City deserve. There are still things that can, with time, improve. Yet, when we step back and look at the progress that has been made, it demonstrates how much we can accomplish by working together. I’m proud and I hope you are too.

If you have any thoughts on improving our animal services please contact the Nevada Humane Society at the Carson City Animal Services at 887-2171 or info@nevadahumanesociety.org.

Lori Bagwell represents Ward 3 on the Carson City Board of Supervisors. She can be reached at 775-283-711 or lbagwell@carson.org.